Very pushy replacement energy meter calls

Netexporter

Although it's been a few years - it certainly used to be the case that at least some meter fitters would not touch the meters - unless they had owners - not tenants - approval.

That was before the law was changed. Landlords used to be able to control which energy supplier you used. Now it is up to the tenant, so the landlord has no say, as the meter belongs to the supplier the tenant is contracted with.

Scot_39

Whilst that may be true as far as the meter change visit - the CA link posted above - in the specific case of prepay to credit - suggests very much the need to keep landlord involved and onside.

I didn't want to highlight it - but theirs a clear warning about the potential of serious consequences for tenants - it even uses the word evict.

It's very much all tenants - reading the section "If you rent..." on that page - and the link for renters. I suspect they do not use words like "evict" lightly

It definitely still implies landlords have a stronger than zero input to the process in some cases - even if that's not directly via the supplier contract.

Rivers_mum

I didn’t think they could insist unless your meter was at the end of its life or faulty? I was on a smart meter tariff and just ignored their texts and phone calls and nothing happened, now not on a tariff requiring a smart meter and won’t have one for as long as I can avoid it. I tend to find if you don’t engage with them and just say no thank you and put the phone down they go away. I take a photo of each meter every month and submit the reading, no problem. 

Chrysalis

If I was an energy company and I got a customer who was resisting a routine swap, I would be doubling down on it, as in my opinion it makes it more likely they have a tampered meter.

prowla

My typical conversations with the smart meter installer callers:

Caller: We're calling to arrange installation of your new smart meter.

Me: Thanks, but I'm not interested.

Caller: Oh, do you mind if i ask you why? (<= Pushy sales technique)

Me: Yes, I do mind.

I expect some time I'll have to accept them, but I don't feel the need to change and I don't need the disruption the installations (presumably separate for electric and gas) will cause.

As it is, I diligently post my meter readings at the end of each month, which presumably keeps the suppliers happy and also helps me keep track of my monthly usage.

I did have an electricity usage readout unit, but it's been sat on its shelf unused for a number of years and I just took it down yesterday.

powerful_Rogue

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

BarelySentientAI

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

Theoretically already happens in France - in the form of a fixed extra standing charge of about £4 per month.

Plus, of course, without a smart meter you can't get any of the cheapest tariffs.

Marvel1

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

I would want the standing charge refunded for everyday they don't do what they are suppose to, send regular meter readings e.g. to take advantage of off peak energy scheme - OVO's power move.

born_again

FlatFour said:

Hi all,

I wanted to post about a friend's experience with a VERY pushy and rude call about a replacement energy meter.

My friend rents, and has both Gas and Electric.  She had a call from someone claiming to represent her power company and, seconds into the call they're demanding personal details from her and telling her she MUST have a new meter fitted.  She pushed back at this - unknown caller asking for personal details - but the person was very pushy, saying she had no choice, she must have a replacement metre.  She did say, while a little flustered by the unexpected call, that she didn't want a Smart Meter, they said that's fine, she can just have a regular meter fitted.  She ended the call, but only after they told her they'd be coming in June to replace it!  No asking, just telling.  Totally out of order.

From some later digging, it turns out the call was legit, but far from professional, as the call was actually from a company contracted by the power company to phone around and tell people they MUST have a new meter fitted, and they cannot refuse.

Firstly:  this is darn rude, aggressive and bullying tactics especially as my friend is vulnerable and the power company know this.

Secondly: the house is RENTED, it's not hers and not her say at all I thought, yet the caller did not care.

Basically, they've forced an appointment on a vulnerable tenant against her will.  They call up, they do not identify themselves and are not prepared to even try, yet ask for personal information.  Personally, I'd have hung up right away if someone couldn't identify themselves to my satisfaction.  That's what my friend eventually did, but she was understandably flustered getting this call an greeted by immediate forceful "sales" technique.

She has since received a letter from the power company, finally verifying that this is legitimate.  However, their approach to this has been terrible.  A random cold-calling then demanding personal details and arranging an appointment despite being told no.

So, where do people stand these days regarding power meter replacements?  Surely the property OWNER is the one to make the decision?  Also, if a perfectly working Meter is present, can they force it to be changed?  Power companies (mine included) seem to be using the "your meter won't work with the new system and is out of date" excuse to swap even quite new meters.  The meters work perfectly fine.

We've had calls ourselves about "needing" a new meter, but it works just fine.  We supply meter reading as requested (about every month).  They've previously refused to fit a smart meter - we signed up for one years ago, which was a condition of the tariff apparently, but they simply never bothered to fit one.  We're no longer on such a tariff.

Note: where we are, we think they never fitted a smart meter due to very poor (black spot basically) mobile signal around here, so it'd not work.  Apparently some newer meters use their own system.  Someone mentioned to me that this uses the household's Wifi.  Well, they're not connecting their device into my secure Wifi, that's for sure.  I will not have devices outside of my control connected to my network.  Period.

Bit of a rant, sorry, but I was really annoyed that my friend - who's really not well at the moment - was put through this.

You need to train them to say no & put the phone down. No matter how pushy these people are. The phone is in their hand & they can simply put it down.
You could also add that they can write to the address, as they already hold the details. Which no doubt these companies will do if they get no answer.

cannugec5

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

I would just halve the standing charge for those of us who have a smart meter in dumb mode and thus no access to smart tariffs. They say they need to change the meter (again. ) but there are no appointments available in my area….